After having a whole weekend off for the first time this season, the ISU tennis team is focusing on one thing this week — doubles.

“Last week, besides focusing on academics, we started working on conditioning. We had a week off, so we hit the weights pretty hard and we just did the basics on the tennis part,” said ISU assistant coach Rod Puebla. “This week, we’re just doing doubles all week, trying to find the right match, so hopefully it’s going to work out for us this time.”

What seems like a reoccurring theme for the Cyclones (3-14, 0-4 Big 12) could be the key to their success for the rest of the season.

ISU senior Marie-Christine Chartier emphasized the importance of winning the doubles point to succeed in the rest of the match.

Junior Jenna Langhorst said it’s important to be more consistent when outside because it’s tougher than playing indoors. The conditions aren’t ideal like they are in indoor facilities.

The Cyclones have only won the doubles point in two matches this season, and if they want to have a chance at winning a match in Big 12 play, that has to change.

“The next three matches are very important,” Chartier said.

Iowa State will face Missouri, Kansas State and Kansas all at home in the next two weeks.

All three teams are on conference losing streaks, with Kansas State on a two-match streak, Missouri on a four-match streak and Kansas on a six-match streak.

“We have three important matches coming up, Missouri, Kansas State and Kansas. They’re going to be huge, like with Kansas we have never beaten them; we’re, like, 0-34 against them,” Puebla said. “The program is getting better, but again I think we need to just keep competing well in singles, and we need to win that doubles point.”

The ISU tennis team also is on a four-match losing streak, but has faced some of the best teams in the conference through its first four meets.

The Cyclones have only had two home meets so far this whole season, including in nonconference play. This is due to the team not having its own indoor facility as well as not having much good competition nearby.

Puebla said the schedule is made two or three years ahead of time, and next year the team will have 11 home matches.

Iowa State will host Missouri at 2 p.m. Friday and one of the teams’ four-match losing streaks will have to come to an end.